Aja Brown

“I'm very tough. Come to a council meeting, and you'll see it.”

“I think Compton is a really attractive place for young families.”

“I think there is always room for improvement.”

“There's so many opportunities, economically and socially, and just the location advantage and all the great institutions that are here, that this community is definitely poised for a huge revival. And so, when I think about Compton, I think about redemption.”

“I knew I would work in a community that I would like to live in, but I had no idea that I would ever go into politics, even though some of my classmates thought I would.”

“Sometimes, growth isn't always equal to success. You may fall forward and continue to make some mistakes, but it's all about growth and really finding the lessons that needs to be learned in order to get to the next level.”

“I think when people think of Compton, of course, they always think of gangster rap. But if you ever had an opportunity to go to Compton, you would know that Compton is a beautiful city.”

“I believe Kendrick Lamar is not only an artist but an influencer of an entire generation. He represents Compton with great pride, and I am honored to present him with the Key to the City, which symbolizes our deep appreciation for his philanthropic work and commitment to our community.”

“My heart is really in building coalitions.”

“Progress comes at a price. You have to be willing to make tough calls and take the hits.”

“Having a diverse council is necessary in order to make sure that all constituents are represented well.”

“It's critical to be able to see things in other people that sometimes they don't see in themselves.”

“It's almost hip to, you know, be from Brooklyn or to live in Brooklyn.”

“In California, they're not making any more land. And with the high cost of land, from a business standpoint, being able to move your goods quickly and cheaply makes Compton an attractive place to be.”

“From a planning perspective, I thought Compton was phenomenal. It has a huge potential to be a great city, and I always bet on the underdog.”

“I was raised by a single mother. We were definitely below the median income of our area.”

“The only difference between Compton and other cities is the ZIP Code, you know, and the mindset - it's just really about challenging people to take ownership of our community.”

“I've always been calm, and I'm very good in a crisis.”

“People who come from Compton - they're overcoming so many challenges that most people don't have to overcome, but that creates special tenacity and different skills that you just can't manufacture.”

“Seeing people decide to choose love instead of hate is phenomenal.”